The lead prosecutor handling bankruptcy-related charges against former County Budget Director Ronald S. Rubino said Tuesday that a key witness might refuse to testify during the trial. The witness, former Assistant Treasurer Matthew Raabe, has told prosecutors that he might invoke his 5th Amendment protection from self-incrimination if called to testify against Rubino.

What newspapers do grand jurors regularly read? How many employees in the district attorney's office own homes in the county? How many have children in local public schools? And what kind of investments do prosecutors have in the county's retirement system?

A federal judge who had expressed concern that settlement of securities fraud charges against former Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron and Assistant Treasurer Matthew Raabe was too lenient has reluctantly approved the deal. U.S. District Court Judge Gary L. Taylor maintained the deal between the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the two former officials provided "little in the way of enforcement action."

Former Dist. Atty. Mike Capizzi on Thursday defended his prosecution of former Assistant Treasurer Matthew R. Raabe, saying the public official would never have been charged with county bankruptcy-related offenses had his office not pursued the case. Raabe's convictions were tossed out Tuesday by the 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana, which ruled that he did not receive a fair trial because the prosecution's case was marred by overwhelming conflicts of interest.

The state Supreme Court on Wednesday let stand the dismissal of charges against former Assistant Treasurer Matthew R. Raabe for his role in Orange County's bankruptcy. The decision means that state prosecutors must weigh whether to refile charges against him. Raabe's 1997 conviction for crimes related to the county's bankruptcy was overturned in November by an appeals court that ruled his trial was unfair and marred by prosecutors' conflicts of interest.

A judge will decide next week when Matthew R. Raabe, the former assistant Orange County treasurer convicted last week of five felonies stemming from the county bankruptcy, should check into state prison for a pre-sentencing study. Prosecutors and Raabe's defense attorneys said Thursday they are writing summaries of the criminal case for prison officials who will prepare the study, which will take up to 90 days and help a judge decide Raabe's sentence. Superior Court Judge Everett W.

The second criminal trial of a county official on charges resulting from Orange County's bankruptcy begins today with a call for 600 potential jurors, 12 of whom will hear the evidence against Matthew Raabe. The onetime assistant to former Treasurer-Tax Collector Robert L. Citron, Raabe faces five felony counts of fraud and misappropriation of funds.

Prosecutors on Wednesday dismissed as "disingenuous" the arguments advanced by former County Assistant Treasurer Matthew Raabe that nearly 200 cities, school districts and local agencies were not entitled to all of the interest their deposits earned for the county-run investment pool.

A Superior Court judge who had some of his retirement funds ensnared in Orange County's investment pool collapse has declined to preside over the criminal trial of the former assistant treasurer charged with contributing to the financial disaster, officials said Friday. Orange County Superior Court Judge John J.

Outraged by reports that Matthew Raabe was ducking a state Senate subpoena, Orange County officials tried to force the suspended assistant treasurer to accept service Wednesday by ordering him into the office. But instead of showing up, Raabe sent his ex-wife with a doctor's note saying he was too ill to work.